Reviews

Burst and Bloom

Only Cursive could get away with "Sink to the Beat," with lyrics referring to their "DC sound, Shudder to Think, Fugazi and Chapel Hill around the early '90s." It could only be a poke at sloppy and lazy comparisons made by their critics, as they burst (and bloom) through five angular, yet attractive songs that should make everyone sit up and take notice. Until now, Cursive was always one of those bands on the verge of something musically meaningful. They straddled the fine line between background music and the soundtrack to your life. That line has been erased in one fell swoop, as "Burst and Bloom" deserves to push them into everyone's personal headspace. The addition of a cello player and songs that blow earlier material from the water bodes well for this band's future. Who knows to what levels their next full-length album will take them.